Common Ground is a community meditation center dedicated to the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present with the moment and learning to be at ease with the unfolding conditions of life. With practice, mindfulness reveals deep wisdom, compassion, and freedom. Common Ground is an independent center founded on the teachings of the Buddha. This center follows in the spirit of Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and is part of the greater insight meditation, or vipassana, community in the West. Common Ground welcomes skillful means from all Buddhist traditions as well as other spiritual traditions dedicated to wisdom and compassion.
Guiding Teacher
Mark Nunberg began his practice in 1982 and has been teaching meditation since 1990. He co-founded Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis in 1993 with Wynn Fricke and continues to serve as the center’s Guiding Teacher. Mark has studied with both Asian and Western teachers and finds deep inspiration in the teachings of the Buddha. Mark practiced as a monk for five months in Burma and completed four three-month retreats at Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center, as well as many months of intensive retreat practice at The Forest Refuge. Mark continues to be a grateful student of Buddhist practice.
Office Manager
Shelly Graf
Bookkeeping Manager
Debbie Norgaard
Board of Directors
Mark Nunberg, Guiding Teacher
Gail Iverson, Board Chair
Gayle Prest, Vice-Chair
Nancy Vivian, Secretary
Doug Swanson, Treasurer
Mark Young, Chair of Bldg. Committee
Advisory Board
Steve Armstrong
James Baraz
Joseph Goldstein
Kamala Masters
Program Teachers
Gail Iverson
Merra Young
Nancy Boler
Ramesh Sairam
Wynn Fricke
Patti Sloan
Emil Jalonen
Elene Loecher
Jean Fagerstrom
Craig Vollmar
Dennis Gilsdorf
Debra Lach
Shelly Graf
